Generally, in a vehicle, a steering column that forms a part of a steering is supported, via a steering support bracket, by an instrument panel reinforcement arranged spanning in a vehicle width direction (a left-right direction of the vehicle) inside an instrument panel (dashboard) of the vehicle (see Patent Document 1, for example). The steering column is a member that transmits to wheels a steering operation of a steering wheel held and operated by a driver.
In Patent Document 1, for the purpose of reducing flexure and vibration of the instrument panel reinforcement (and thus, reducing vibration of the steering wheel by improving support stiffness of the steering column), a brace is provided, with an upper end thereof fixed to the steering support bracket and a lower end thereof fixed to a floor of a vehicle body frame or to a lower portion of a front pillar.
Structures for reducing vibration of the steering wheel are also described in Patent Documents 2 to 4, etc.
Specifically, Patent Document 2 discloses a structure in which a vertical pipe is provided in addition to the brace. The vertical pipe, with an upper end thereof fixed to a steering support and a lower end thereof mounted to the floor of the vehicle body frame, is configured to be able to support the steering support. The steering support is also supported by the vertical pipe, and thus, the support stiffness of the steering column connected to the steering support is improved, thereby enabling reduction of vibration of the steering wheel.
Patent Document 3 discloses a structure in which a steering support member (corresponding to the instrument panel reinforcement) is configured with two support members arranged side by side in parallel to each other. Due to such a structure in which the steering support member is configured with the two support members, stiffness of the steering support member as a whole can be improved, and thus, the support stiffness of the steering column is improved, thereby enabling reduction of vibration of the steering wheel.
Patent Document 4 discloses a structure in which the steering support bracket and the brace are connected to each other via a bracket.